Reciprocal eMotion
by Ru-Doragon
Summary: What is so amusing about his little devices nickname? Co-authored by Ru-Doragon and Kaori Kisaragi. Previously posted on Karoi's page. Longer, edited version now available. :3


First off, before people start getting all pissy at me: Kaori and I are CO-AUTHORS. We have been since the beginning. I am the one who came up with the basic outline, as well as the glamour amulet, for this story. Kaori is the one who did an AMAZING job, going above and beyond, of following that outline. And as such, we BOTH have rights to this story. Originally this was posted on Karoi Kisaragi's profile, but she decided to take it down. We spoke, and agreed that it could go up on my profile. So, here it is. Please, do enjoy.

Title: Reciprocal eMotion

Creators: Ru-Doragon and Kaori Kisaragi

Words: 10,490

Disclaimer: Colfer passed out these dolls to play with. He still owns the originals. But these ones...we don't get to make money off of them, but we get to do whatever we want with them.

Full story link: book anficti on story. php?n o=600095135

Just remove the spaces.

Artemis rolled the gemstone between his fingers as he talked at Holly. "After I place the hummer into the bag," he started but was cut off by Holly's snort.

"Excuse me… the what?" she laughed.

Artemis looked at her, confused. "The hummer?" He said, unsure if that was what struck her funny bone so suddenly.

Sure enough it was. She burst into a fit of loud guffaws. "Dear Frond… is that what you're calling it?"

"Why not? It hums! It's a hummer! The frequency is below the range of human ears but it's humming nonetheless. I am failing to see the humor here."

Holly worked to compose herself. "I'm sorry, Arty," she wiped a tear from her eye. "It's just that… that word has a very different meaning to me."

Artemis cocked a perfectly shaped black eyebrow. "Really. And what might that be?"

Holly's mirthful smile morphed into a mischievous smirk. "I'll show you sometime. Promise." She winked. Artemis frowned, puzzled by her response.

"May I continue now?" Artemis asked.

Holly waved her hand formally. "Please."

"Thank you. As you already know, the crystals are set to detonate at a very specific frequency. We have to place the hummer-"

Holly snorted again but composed herself quickly. Artemis ignored her.

"-into the bag by doing a simple Bait and Switch. This is where you come in. My stone will inevitably look different from whichever stone he provides me with to examine. I've disguised the scanner in a jeweler's monocle so it will initially only look as if I'm simply examining the stone. Of course, it will actually be reading the frequency of detonation and sending the binary code to my mobile. The program I wrote for my mobile will automatically activate, writing a frequency code that will cause the decoy to hum… vibrate… at a frequency that will block any detonation tone from activating any of the crystals within a five mile radius-."

"Artemis. I don't need the science. You said, 'This is where you come in'. Can you skip right to that part please?"

Artemis breathed sharply through his nose. Why could she never appreciate how genius his plans were? "As I was saying. The decoy will look different. He will notice. Your job is to assure him that the stone I hand back to him is indeed his stone. A simple mesmer. He will no doubt have a bodyguard, as well as a companion… not unlike myself, so you will be required to mesmer at least three individuals simultaneously."

"Got it. Shouldn't be an issue." Holly said. "So, when do we leave?"

"Four. We're going directly from the airport to the banquet so please change beforehand. By the way, Holly, have you used this amulet… thing… before?"

"The Glamour Talisman? Just once, in prep for this mission. How do you think I was able to give you those measurements?"

Artemis nodded. It made sense. "May I see it?"

Holly produced a large, velvet jewelry box. Artemis opened it to reveal a large diamond necklace. Or, at least what appeared to be a large diamond necklace.

"How is it charmed?" he asked.

Holly shrugged. "How should I know? It's demon warlock magic. It's completely out of the realm of what elves can do."

Artemis studied the necklace. It was very beautiful. It's real charm lay hidden in the spell it would put on its wearer. "Five foot one, you say?"

"Yeah. Give or take a millimeter or two. I'll still be short next to you," she smiled. "Who knew you'd grow up to be so tall."

"Yes, yes… 'fully-fledged barbarian' now. Isn't that what you once called me?" Artemis smirked. "Besides, 5'10" is average height for a human male and although 5'1" is slightly below average, it is perfectly acceptable for a human female. What about your ears?"

Holly pulled the band from her hair that was holding it up in a half-ponytail. Her auburn locks fell to her shoulders, framing her sharp features and covering over her pointed elfin ears. "Hair's going to have to hide it."

Artemis held back a sigh. He wished she'd wear her hair down more often. It was such a stunning color and honestly he thought it was truly beautiful. "Very well. You can change in the guest room. The dress is in the closet. I had it made very specifically to the measurements you provided so I hope the amulet works in the same manner. We don't have time to go shopping now. The other… ahem, items… are on the dresser top." Artemis's face flushed slightly, remembering his online shopping excursion through the women's lingerie section.

Holly hopped off the bed. As she walked passed Artemis, she slapped him lightly on the ass. He flinched. It was basically all she could reach in her current state. She loved the reaction it provoked in him plus, not that she'd ever admit it to him, but she always thought he had a cute butt.

"All right. I'll let you change and I'll meet you in the foyer. Let's go steal us some exploding diamonds!" Holly said, enthused.

"Holly, we're not stealing them, we're… no. No, I guess we are stealing them." Artemis's smile grew enormous. Just the very thought of theft made him giddy.

Artemis gave himself another once over before leaving his bedroom. He obsessed over the straightness of the white bowtie that decorated his neck and pulled at the lapels to his tux's jacket. He knew he was fidgeting but if that was the only nervous tick he displayed, that wouldn't be so bad. He was more concerned about Holly's nervous tick of tucking her loose hair behind her ear. He'd have to watch her. She did it unconsciously.

Holly and Butler were already in the foyer, waiting for Artemis, when he finally descended from his upstairs bedroom. Instantly, his eyes fell upon the beautiful woman with caramel skin in the black cocktail dress.

"Holly?" He had tried to picture it in his mind's eye. A 5'1" version of Holly but his imagination failed miserably next to the real thing. Her long legs, now even longer, were accentuated by the high heel of her shoes and were showcased by a dress with a hem that tightly clung to her mid-thigh. He came to stand in front of her, gawking at her unabashed.

"Wow," he finally managed, utterly stunned.

"Thanks. You look nice too." Holly smiled.

"I, um…" Artemis stuttered.

Wow… he's actually speechless. This just might be a first, Holly thought. "Shall we go?"

Artemis blinked several times. "Uh, yeah. I mean, yes. Let's go."

Holly took his arm, happy to find that she actually could now, and allowed him to escort her to the car.

In the jet, Artemis once again went over the plan with her. This was now the umpteenth time Holly had heard this in more detail than can possibly be retained by a normal person. Despite that, she allowed him to talk. Sometimes she felt that he needed to review things aloud more than she needed to be told again. Not that he would forget anything, just that it calmed him and that was fine. Morretti was a dangerous man. Probably more so than Spiro. The one stone they'd be swapping out had enough explosive power to level the entire hotel, never mind the fact that Morretti most likely had a small safe filled with them close by at all times.

Artemis tapped the screen of his mobile device. "See? The jeweler's monocle will send a laser through the crystal, read the frequency and wirelessly transmit the data to this app," he opened the application which to Holly, simply looked like a bunch of numbers and wavelengths. "Then it will calculate the blocking frequency, immediately program the hummer while simultaneously activating the homing beacon for the LEP. It's ingenious, if I do say so myself." Artemis beamed.

Holly leaned over the armrest that separated their chairs beside one another. She placed her hand on his thigh in a guise to balance herself as she repositioned her body so she could get a better look at the screen. However, as she shifted her weight, her hand slipped slightly, falling between his legs. He stiffened… all over… as Holly clearly felt due to her hand's newfound position. It was truly an accident, though a happy one at that. Still, she had clearly made him uncomfortable.

"Sorry, I slipped," she said honestly. She tried to brush it off and save them both from any further embarrassment. She carefully placed her hand back where it was originally intended to stay, on his lap. "How does the, uh, hummer, receive the data? I mean, is it received in the same manner as it transmits?" Holly tried to come up with a relatively intelligent sounding question to take his attention away from her little mishap.

"Uh, that… well, yeah." That was it for the explanation.

'Well, yeah'? Not good. Where was the lengthy explanation behind how he designed it? Where were the cutting remarks about her lack of intelligence to understand 'something so basic'? Most likely there wasn't enough blood left in his brain to formulate a more complex matter. She wouldn't have understood it had he provided one to her.

The banquet hall was impressive to say the least. The ceiling's architecture curved around the edges that met the walls. Painted to it was a fresco that Michelangelo himself would have been proud of. The crystal chandelier would no doubt kill several if it were to fall.

"These Romans sure know opulence." Holly commented as they entered.

"Mm," Artemis agreed. "There he is. Table four." He tried to inconspicuously point out their target.

Holly looked around, her trained eyes skimming over a multitude of other guests, until she found the Italian man with the slicked back black hair. There was no doubt it was Morretti. Who other than a billionaire Mafia man could be that hideous with not one, not two, but three absolutely stunning women hanging off of him? Artemis took Holly's hand, placed it upon his arm and casually strolled over to join the man and his mini-harem at the large round table.

Artemis cleared his throat as he stood across from the man who currently had a blond girl half his age tracing her tongue around the edge of his ear. The mobster looked up to regard the young, pale man before him and the dark-skinned beauty on his arm. A fake smile spread across his face.

"You musta be Mista Fowl. Please, please!" Morretti waved a hand, offering to them the two seats directly in front of him.

"Yes. And you must be Mr. Morretti. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Artemis held out his hand. Morretti took the proffered hand and shook it. Holly smiled pleasantly. She was happy to see Artemis was getting better with the simple pleasantries of social customs.

"And who might this lovely lady be?" Morretti asked, eying Holly wolfishly.

"Ah. How rude of me. This is my lovely fiancé, Holly. I simply could not leave home without her." Artemis returned the fake smile to Morretti who seemed visibly disappointed to hear she was more than just an escort unlike his own arm candy. He was no doubt more irked that his intel had provided him nothing on Holly's existence.

Artemis and Holly sat in the chairs in front of Morretti. Instantly, Holly's hand traveled towards the hair covering her left ear. Artemis snatched her hand before she unintentionally revealed the secret hidden beneath her locks. Startled, Holly looked over at Artemis who continued to hold her hand in his own.

"Darling. You mustn't fidget so. One might start to believe you're beginning to find the companionship of your betrothed boorish."

Holly realized he had only taken her hand because she was about to do something stupid but found it curious as to why he was still holding it so tightly. "Darling," she began, fighting down a giggle, "you are anything but boorish."

Artemis smiled. "Why, thank you, love." He gently released Holly's hand and returned his attention back to Morretti. "Signore. I'll take it you know why I'm here?"

"Si, si. Now. I am understanding, you's a needing a pretty special stone, yeah?" Morretti said in his broken English. It immediately grated Artemis's nerves so he switched over to Italian to save the man any further embarrassment and himself any more ire.

"Mister Morretti, I am not much of one for small talk. I will be brief with you. I do not intend to purchase a stone from you today. I am here as a representative for a perspective buyer. I should only like to examine your wares before reporting back to my client." Artemis said in fluent Italian.

Morretti's eyes widened slightly as the Irishman spoke to him flawlessly in his own native tongue. "I, uh, I understand Mister Fowl. However, there is no means in which you could truly 'examine' my wares outside of my laboratory."

"I have brought my own equipment." Artemis said.

Morretti looked around. Aside from the enormous Eurasian man that acted as a second shadow to Artemis and the young lady at his side, there was nothing accompanying him. No scientists. Not even a briefcase. Morretti was puzzled. "Where?"

"All I need is this." Artemis removed the jeweler's monocle from his breast pocket and set it on the table before him. As he pulled it from his pocket, he grabbed the decoy stone as well but kept it well hidden in his hand.

Morretti laughed heartily. "Boy! Did your client not tell you exactly what type of stone you were sent to examine? Your little looking glass isn't going to tell you anything about the quality stone that is up for sale here!"

"Perhaps not. Or perhaps you only need to know what to look for." Artemis's vampiric smile spread. "Do you have the item, signore?"

Morretti continued to chuckle to himself. "Yes, yes. Of course I do. Be my guest." Deciding to amuse him, he pulled a small, black velvet pouch from his breast pocket. Pulling the drawstring of the bag apart, he gently jostled it until a stone tumbled onto his waiting palm. For all intents and purposes, it appeared exactly like round-cut diamond. He handed it over to Artemis with a large smile still plastered to his face.

Artemis accepted the stone gratefully, never breaking a sweat. This is where things really started. Artemis brushed his leg against Holly's, sending her cue to start with the fairy-specifics of this mission.

Holly's placed her hand on his leg beneath the table. She squeezed him lightly, letting him know she understood. Artemis thought it was unnecessary but wasn't in a position to say so. Not that he really minded… as long as her hand actually stayed on his thigh, at least for the time being.

Artemis worked quick, placing the stone under the monocle, sending the invisible laser through the explosive crystal and transmitting the data to his mobile. His mobile buzzed as it vibrated against his hip to indicate it had received the information.

Rolling the stone in his hand, Artemis pocketed the real explosive along with his jeweler's monocle and offered back the decoy 'hummer' stone to Morretti. "Grazie, signore. This is exactly what my client is looking for. I shall contact you shortly to negotiate the specifics regarding the purchase."

Morretti accepted the stone with a small smile until he looked at the item that had been returned to him. It was about the same size, shape and color… but just… not. It was just slightly off. Something fishy was going on. It didn't help that the enormous bodyguard behind the young man with the reputation seemed to go on high alert the minute he accepted the presented stone.

Holly wasted no time. She layered her voice with the hypnotic effects of the mesmer. "This is the same stone you handed Artemis. There is no difference whatsoever. It is no doubt the same stone that you took from your bag."

"Yes… the same. It's the same." Morretti repeated blankly.

"That's right. Wouldn't you all agree? Morretti received his own stone back from Mister Fowl."

Artemis smirked at hearing Holly address him as 'Mister Fowl', especially in Italian.

"Si, si…" The girls repeated, completely monotone.

"Good. Our negotiations are now complete. Everything went well. Mister Fowl will contact you to purchase the stone for top dollar. You will anxiously await his call."

Artemis nodded to her. It was unnecessary but still a nice touch. He squeezed her thigh beneath the table, notifying her she could turn it off now while simultaneously copping a feel of her bare leg. He bit the inside of his cheeks to keep a smirk from forming.

"Well, Signore Morretti. I shall be contacting my client tonight and getting back to you shortly. Possibly even tonight. My fiancé and I are staying here tonight so I'm sure we'll be seeing you again shortly. I hope that you will anxiously await my call." Artemis said, unable to hide his smug smile.

"Yes, of course, Mista Fowl. I will be anxiously awaiting of your call."

The two men stood and shook hands. Holly stood and took Artemis's arm and nodded cordially to Morretti.

"Please enjoy the rest of your evening, signore." Artemis said politely before leading Holly away. His phone buzzed against his hip once more. Once he was facing away from Morretti, he checked the screen to see '1 New Text Msg' displayed. He opened it to see 'From: Unknown. Subject: Showing up bright and clear! Good job, Mud Boy. –F.'

Artemis let out a sigh of relief. Mission Complete. Then…When am I ever going to lose that bloody nickname?

Artemis placed the phone back on his belt holster. He smiled as he looked down at the glammed-out Holly holding on to his arm. "Would you like to dance? You know, since we can right now…" Artemis made a vague gesture that referenced how normally she wouldn't even stand at waist height to him.

Holly wanted to accept his offer but couldn't. "I unfortunately can't dance. Believe it or not, ballroom dancing isn't part of training program at the LEP Academy. I've had little to no reason to bother learning up until…"

"Now?" he finished her thought. "Would you like me to teach you?"

Holly flushed slightly at the thought. Just how much embarrassment could she endure in front of this man? "No, it's all right. I think I just want to go back to the room. I should start on my report."

Artemis's shoulders sank with disappointment. "All right. You know, we don't actually need to stay tonight. Foaly already messaged me. Retrieval will be here shortly. Technically, you could go and I could stay to-"

"I'm not leaving you alone. It's my assignment to stay until the stones are retrieved. Or are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Get rid of you? No! That's the furthest thing from my mind right now." Artemis answered honestly.

"They why would you want to deny me a night on the surface in a luxury European hotel with a handsome man?" She smirked as she elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"You're meeting someone? Should I be jealous?"

Holly laughed lightly. "Ha ha. Very funny, mister," she said, sarcastic. "I want to check out the suite and get out of these bloody shoes. Your Mud-women are fucking crazy to wear these stilts."

Artemis led her towards the lift. Butler followed along silently.

"I'll be in the room next to you if you should need anything." Butler said.

Artemis nodded. "Thank you. I'll ring if either us require something. Thank you, old friend."

Butler nodded in reply then smirked slightly at the sight of Holly still hanging off his arm, accompanying him to a hotel suite. Artemis didn't fail to see the expression but chose to openly ignore it.

Artemis slid the keycard into the door's lock. "After you," he said standing back in order to allow Holly to enter before him. Sharing a room with Holly… it was a strange notion. She had slept at his house many times before. Once they shared his bed but that wasn't exactly intentional. They had simply stayed up too late talking and passed out before she could make it to the guest room. Nothing had happened. He was also eighteen at the time, not to mention a virgin and horrendously scared to dare touch his female friend in any sexual manner.

Immediately upon entering, Holly kicked her heels off, leaving them messily against the wall by the door. She skipped through the ornate room, admiring the period piece furnishings, frescoed ceilings and lush draperies. "Check this place out! Awe-some!"

Artemis noticed a bottle of Dom Perignon in an ice bucket near the sofa. Two champagne flutes were placed beside it with a tray of strawberries. He slipped out of his jacket, tossed it on a nearby chair, and went to sit on the sofa. He popped a strawberry in his mouth as he opened the bottle and poured a glass. Holly was poking at the stereo under the television, fiddling with the radio, when Artemis came up from behind her, holding the glass of the alcoholic beverage.

"Don't think you could make an exception for tonight?" he said, holding the glass towards her.

She huffed a small laugh then placed her index finger to her plump bottom lip in a faux-thoughtful expression, as if she were actually pondering the preposterous proposition. "Hm, let me think – lose my magic for a glass of booze? I think I'll pass."

Artemis sighed. "Fine. I won't drink either… after this one." He downed half the drink in one gulp then placed it on the television cabinet that was now behind her. It was probably best if he not drink. Even if it was Dom Perignon. He was going to need full use of his mental faculties if he was going to be sharing a room with a woman he's been obsessed with for over thirteen years. Well, ten if he was to be technical about the actual passage of time they had both experienced. He looked at her full lips, painted beautifully with a soft mauve lipstick. This was beginning to feel less and less like a mission and more and more like a date. In fact, he had had many a dates that went something like this with his last (and only thus far) girlfriend, Veronica. He shook his head unconsciously at the thought of just her name, as if to shake her free from his mind.

"Holly. Will you dance with me here? I mean, let me teach you?" Artemis asked, trying to clear his head of thoughts of his ex.

Holly looked at the floor, shame-faced. "Arty, I really can't dance. I wasn't trying to be modest or anything. I mean, like I know nothing about it."

"That's okay." He took hold of her hand and waist and pulled her close to him. "Stand on my toes. I'll show you."

Holly's lips quirked into a half smile. "Are you serious? You want me to intentionally step on your toes?"

Artemis rolled his eyes. "Yes, Holly. I think I can tolerate all of your, what… approximately 50 kilos."

Holly's eyes widened. "Do you really think I look like I'm 50 kilos? I mean, is that bad for this height?"

Artemis chuckled. "No. In fact, it's on the lower side. You have a small frame."

"So do you," she said, defensively.

"I'm still 75 kilos. And have nine inches on you. Even now."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"Why is what?"

"Why are the males always bigger? I mean, generally speaking."

"Holly. Humans, like elves, are mammals. And like most mammals, we are sexually dimorphic."

"Sexually what-now?"

"Dimorphic. In two forms. Males are bigger so they can dominate the smaller females for the purpose of copulation."

"Oh," she said plainly then snorted out a muted giggle.

"Are we dancing or not?" he asked.

"Uh, right. Dancing." She stepped gingerly on to his toes, hoping she wasn't actually hurting him.

He held her a bit tighter against his body as he began to instruct her. "So, I will teach you the box step. It is the easiest and most basic of dance steps and generally the first any beginner should start with. I lead off with my right," he began to explain when she abruptly cut him off.

"Wait, why do you lead?"

"Because I'm the man," he said, thinking that much was apparent.

"Does the man always lead?"

"Always."

"Why? That doesn't seem right."

"That's just how dancing is! The man leads! Are you going to let me teach you, or not?" He was already becoming exasperated with her feminist attitude.

"Fine… yes. Lead away." She conceded.

He sighed. "Good. I lead off with my right by stepping forward. You in turn will step back with your left. Then I step to my left with my left, which of course is your right with your right. Then I step together with my right, again your left, then I step back with my left, your right. Next I step right, your left, then come together again with my left, your right, completing the box. Understand?"

Holly narrowed her eyes. "No."

"I will show you then." He held her waist firmly as he moved her legs with his own, calling out the movements as he did. "Walk, side, together, repeat. As simple as that. If you want, you could say 'Back, right, together. Forward, left, together,' for you."

"Because I'm the woman?"

Artemis smiled. "Last I checked."

Holly huffed her breath through her nose. "Okay, let me see if I got this right," she stepped down from his feet and onto the rug. "Back. Side… wait, which side again?"

"Your opposite leg always moves immediately following the first. So for you it will always be left, right, left, right. Another way to remember is that your outer leg is the one that is moving. I don't know if that helps or not."

"Actually, yeah it does. Back left, side right, together. Forward right, side left, together. I think I got it."

"Good. Let's dance then." Artemis danced at half tempo, counting out the beat '1, 2, 3' with each step. He could see by her silently repeated mantra, she had not yet memorized the steps. It didn't matter how graceful she was. He finally had a valid excuse to have his hands on her.

After a few moments of stiff dancing, Holly suddenly chuckled low to herself.

"What?" Artemis asked, intrigued.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about what you said earlier."

"Which was?"

"About males being sexually something-or-other… 'to dominate the females' or whatever you said."

"Dimorphic. And what in particular about that statement did you find amusing?"

"Nothing. Just that… you're a male."

Artemis stopped dancing and looked at her with a half-puzzled, half-offended glare. "And?"

"And… I just can't picture it. I mean, you being… never mind! I can't even say it!" She started to giggle.

Now the puzzled part of his expression was gone, only to be replaced with full-out hurt and offense. "Oh. Lovely," he said flatly while rolling his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Arty. I'm not trying to be mean or anything."

Artemis let go of her and took a step back. "No, I understand. You've known me since I was twelve and watched me grow up these past thirteen years and even though I'm twenty-five, that's still prepubescent for an elf. I'm still just a child in your eyes."

"No, that's not it at all!" Holly said, her voice becoming louder unknowingly. "It's that you're a gentleman. I can't picture you as the type who'd… you know. I mean, I know you and Veronica were intimate,"

"Could we not speak her name please?"

Holly flinched. Guess that one's still a land mine. "Sorry. Arty, it's just that," she stared at the floor, unable to look into his fierce eyes any longer. "I just… well you know I've got a little bit of experience with the male gender. It doesn't add up in my mind. But I suppose I really shouldn't even be thinking of such things, even if it is just hypothetical. You're my friend, after all."

Is she admitting that she has 'hypothetically' thought of having sex with me? Intriguing. "You of all people, Holly, should know not to underestimate me."

She swallowed hard as heat spread to her cheeks. "I, uh… I suppose."

They were interrupted by a tap on the window. The tapping sounded out a rhythm Holly was more than familiar with. She had heard it many times before on her office door. She must have made a face because Artemis backed away from her and opened the drapes. Sure enough, a heat hazed blurred the sky just outside the window. Artemis opened it and walked into the bedroom without a word. The door shut with a sharp bang behind him. Holly sighed.

The slight sound of buzzing got louder and the heat hazed moved into the room and transformed into Chix Verbil.

"Would'ya look at you! Wow…" He gave her a catcall whistle. "You're huge but damn girl… you lookin' fine."

Holly rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Verbil? I don't have my report yet."

"Yeah, I know. I came for the stone. The one that Fowl pocketed from the stash."

"I could have brought it back when I returned from the mission." Holly said.

"Kelp wanted it asap. There's enough explosive power in it to level this building and everything in a five-block radius. The rest of the team is getting the stones on Morretti and the ones he has stashed in his room's safe. I was sent to bring back this one. Initially I was ticked for being singled out for the zero-action assignment, but damn, I'm happy I was chosen now. I gotta get a pic of this." Chix activated the camera in his helmet's visor and snapped a shot of Holly in her human sized form, dolled up with makeup and loose hair in her black, mini cocktail dress.

"I will castrate you if that ends up pinned to the community board in the canteen."

"I believe it." Chix smiled maliciously. "Don't worry. I only intend to keep it for my own personal use."

"That's disgusting."

"I'm kidding! I just want to show the Commander what he missed out on."

"Oh, for Frond's sake! I'll get you the stone so you can get the fuck out of here!" Holly stormed off, leaving Chix by himself in the living room.

She burst into the bedroom only the catch Artemis half way through changing his shirt. She froze in her tracks.

"Yes?" Artemis grabbed a t-shirt and pulled it over his head. Holly's eyes followed the disappearing skin as it was so cruelly covered up. He shockingly had some definition to him. What was more surprising was the thin line of dark hair that led from below his navel down towards his-

"Sorry!" Holly quickly looked at the floor and shielded her burning face with her hand. "Chix just wants the rock. I think it's in your jacket pocket still." Holly said all in one hurried breath.

"Sure." Artemis retrieved the explosive from his jacket pocket and placed it in Holly's hand. She realized as she looked at him dressed in a t-shirt and lounge pants that she had entirely forgotten to pack anything to sleep in tonight. All she had grabbed was her toiletries bag and there was nothing in there she could wear to bed.

She released a ragged breath as she accepted the stone. "Thanks. I'll, um. I'll be back as soon as I get rid of him." She said. He nodded and she left the bedroom, returning to her waiting coworker in the living room.

"Here. Now leave." She forcefully shoved the stone into his hand.

Chix snorted. "I'm so terribly sorry. Am I disturbing your romantic evening?"

Holly stormed over to the window, holding the drapes open and making the invite very clear to Chix that he could leave the same way he came. "You got what you came for so go."

Chix placed his hands up in surrender. "My apologies. And here I half thought you might actually be looking for an excuse to leave early. Though," he looked around the luxurious suite, "I can now see why you'd want to stay. Anyway, Holly… you know. Just be careful." He fired up his wings, gave Holly a small salute and flew out. Holly shut the window behind him and sighed.

She paused as she placed her hand on the door that led into the bedroom. Maybe I should knock? No. He's already done changing. She opened the door slowly. "Hey."

"Hey?" Artemis repeated, looking up briefly from his mobile's screen. He was sitting on the bed on top of the blankets.

She shifted her weight nervously. "He's gone, so I'm gonna get ready for bed now, 'kay?"

"Mm hmm." Artemis returned his attention back to his device.

Holly spotted his formal clothes draped over the back of a chair. She picked up his white shirt. "Can I borrow this?"

Artemis looked up to see what she was referring to and was surprised when he saw his own shirt in her hand.

"My shirt? What for?"

"To sleep in. I forgot to pack any clothes."

"Oh, sure. I guess. If you want to, I mean." Damn it. What the hell is wrong with my articulation skills tonight, he thought.

"Thanks. I'm going to shower. I won't be long." Holly disappeared into the bathroom, taking Artemis's shirt with her.

Artemis's mind traveled into strange territory at the thought of Holly showering no more than six feet away from where he currently sat in the large, king-sized bed. He had the app open on his phone, watching the blip on the radar that his hummer was sending out. It was then that Artemis remembered, what on earth is so amusing about my decoy's little nickname? He opened the web browser app on his mobile and typed into the search engine "Hummer disambiguation". He received three possible results. A vehicle, a bird, and…

"Surely not!" Artemis blurted aloud to the empty room. It must have been something else. He continued to scroll down. There was nothing else it could be. At least not in human slang. Perhaps it was something that was fairy-specific.

Artemis looked over towards the bathroom door. He could hear the water from the shower running. They were posing as a couple so it would have seemed strange if he had reserved two rooms for him and his 'lovely fiancé'. Still, they weren't actually a couple and the mission would be officially completed within several hours. Perhaps he should sleep on the sofa. Though the bed is huge and Holly doesn't take up much space, he reasoned.

The bathroom door opened, billowing forth steam into the bedroom.

"Arty?" Holly called out as she approached. A bath towel was snugly wrapped around her body. The towel covered from under her arms to just above her knees. The charmed necklace still graced her vastly taller body.

"Don't worry about the shirt. I'm just going to sleep like I normally do." she said.

"Normally? Which is?" Artemis asked.

"Nude," she said, matter-of-factly.

Artemis's eyes widened dramatically. His phone fell from his hand and tumbled on to his lap. "Oh." He said as he scrambled to it up. His cheeks reddened. "Why, if you don't mind me asking?"

Holly shrugged. "Why not? It's comfy. Why don't you?" Her lips curved into a coy smile.

"Because… I don't have to, I guess?" he said, not too sure of his answer. "Why should I?"

"Because it's so comfortable! For Frond's sake, Arty! Have you never slept naked before? Like not even once? You know… like… afterwards?" She hoped her suggestive tone would clue him in to what exactly she was making reference to.

"Afterwards? After what? Oh. That."

Holly rolled her eyes, thankful that he had caught on before she had to explain what 'that' meant.

"I, uh. No. I usually get dressed afterwards. At least in my shorts." Artemis cleared his throat. He was finding this topic of conversation growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. His sex life (or rather, lack thereof recently) was not a topic he enjoyed discussing with anyone, least of all Holly.

"Really? You don't like the feeling of the cool sheets against your hot, naked skin?"

His cheeks turned a brilliant red. "If I'm only in my shorts, that I can feel the 'cool sheets' against the vast majority of my… skin, thank you. I don't require being nude for such a sensation."

"Aw, it's not the same!" Holly pulled the blankets back from the opposite side of bed and tossed the decorative pillows to the floor.

She could at least wear her panties, he thought. It wouldn't be the first time they'd shared a bed. Though this would be the first time they'd done it intentionally. Definitely the first time she'd be sans clothing. Artemis swallowed audibly.

She crawled into the bed. The tips of her hair were still damp from the shower. She pulled the blankets over her, covering her towel-clad body. A moment later she shifted and dropped the towel on to the floor beside the bed.

A shiver went up Artemis's spine. Is she trying to provoke me? Or just torture me? Perhaps I'm reading into things too much. Artemis was certain he had come to a false conclusion when Holly patted the pillow beside her own, indicating he should get under the blankets next to her.

"You coming?" she asked.

Artemis flinched from her suggestive choice of words. I'd like to…

"I don't mind sleeping on the sofa. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

Holly rolled her eyes theatrically. "Please," she said in derisive sarcasm. "You may make me feel many things, Artemis, but uncomfortable from sharing a bed is not one of them."

"Glad to hear it," Artemis said, unknowingly aloud. Holly smiled brightly and only then did he realize that he had voiced his thoughts externally. He felt his face flush.

Artemis pulled up the blankets, keeping his eyes away from Holly's nude body as he did. "Are you certain you're fine with this?" What 'this' was entirely, he wasn't sure yet, but it wasn't likely to lead to immediate slumber.

Holly stirred under the blankets, then crawled over to the side of the bed where he lay. Artemis lay on his back, averting his eyes from her. She placed her hands on his pillow above his shoulders at either side of his head. The blankets slid down her back and revealed her nude body. Artemis shut his eyes. Holly scoffed.

"C'mon, Artemis. You're allowed to look."

Artemis slowly cracked open one eye, then the other. What he saw when he did was a diamond pendant necklace dangling down between a pair of soft breasts with dusty pink nipples that brushed lightly against the fabric of his shirt.

"Holly… you're, um…" She is definitely provoking me. The question is why. "You're… very beautiful." What is she expecting me to say? To do? Does she intend to-

She smiled sweetly before gently pressed her lips against his. They hadn't kissed in a long time. Not since before Veronica was in his life. He hoped now it wouldn't be as awkward as it was back then. Her tongue swiped along his bottom lip, beckoning entry. Artemis sighed as he opened his mouth. His fingers threaded into the hair at the back of her head as he pulled her towards him, allowing her tongue to slide down his own as he did.

As her tongue swirled around his own, Artemis felt the familiar and long-missed sensation of his mind actually blanking out. Her hand found the hem of his shirt and pushed the material up and then completely off. She broke their kiss only to turn her mouth's attention to his neck, then chest, then abdomen. When her tongue darted out to swirl around his navel, his abdomen convulsed involuntarily. He registered her mouth's descent down his body was still continuing. With his hand still on the back of her head, he tugged ever so lightly.

"Wait."

She looked up at him through thick black lashes, made all the more pronounced with the use of rarely worn mascara. "What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

She looked away. A shy smile formed on her lips. "A few reasons, I guess. I want to, for one. Secondly," she looked back at him, almost embarrassed, "aren't you a little curious?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow. Curious about what exactly? Neither were virgins. This much was understood between them both. "What exactly, are you curious about?"

"C'mon, Artemis. It's the ultimate taboo. Fucking a Mud Man… a Mud Man who just happens to be Artemis Fowl the Second. You can't tell me you haven't at least once thought about doing this."

Artemis smirked for a moment before composing himself. He had thought many more times than just once about doing this. Suddenly turning very serious, his hand loosened in her hair. "I don't have any condoms."

Holly beamed a smile, relieved. That's all? He's okay with it then. "No worries. I have it taken care of." Her hand found the drawstring to his lounge pants and pulled it loose. She grabbed the waistband and began to tug them down.

Sex without a condom? I've never… The excitement of the prospect drained the power of better reasoning from his brain along with any excess blood not necessary for life support. He had suddenly surmised she was taking entirely too long removing his clothing and lifted his hips and pulled them down himself.

* * *

><p>His movements slowed, then stopped. Artemis rested his sweaty forehead against her back, gasping and greedily swallowing down much needed air and slid down to a kneeling position once more.<p>

"Dear Frond, Arty… what was that?" Holly asked. Her vision was blurred. Her hips ached. Her legs were numb. It was awesome.

Artemis slipped himself free from her body and collapse on his back beside her. He shielded his eyes from the light with his forearm. Still panting, he said, "A mixture of eight years unrequited love and eight months of not getting any."

Holly's eyes shot wide open. 'Unrequited LOVE?' Her stomach flipped. Unsure how to react to his confession, she chose to focus on the latter part of it. "Eight months? Give me a break. Try seven years."

"Seven years? Good lord. I'm shocked you still remembered how!" Artemis laughed. Holly elbowed him.

"Why… may I ask, has it been so long?" Artemis asked.

"Well, you were still a child after you came out of the clinic. Trouble and I… well, things sort of came to a natural end after a couple of years. After that, you were an adult but things got in the way. I didn't want to prematurely shut any doors on my end in case they reopened on your side."

Artemis propped himself up on one elbow. "You mean, you were waiting for me?"

"No!" she shouted. She hated how desperate it made her sound. "I mean, I just didn't want to, I don't know, discount the possibility… maybe?"

"So… you were waiting for me then."

Holly rolled onto her side, facing away from him. "Yeah, sorta," she mumbled.

His arm wrapped around her, pulling her snuggly against his body. "Why didn't you say something sooner? I've been single for eight months!"

"I was waiting for an opportunity… like this." She fidgeted with the amulet around her neck.

"Why?" He lightly kissed her shoulder.

"I don't know. Nervous I guess. I wasn't sure what you'd think of the idea."

"But you know I've been in love with you for years now. Why do you think my past relationship was such a miserable failure?"

Holly blushed at his easy confession. "I thought it had something to do with her being a bitch."

"That part didn't help, I agree. But I did try to love her. I tried. I just couldn't. She wasn't you."

Her stomach knotted. "Well, you know how I feel."

She felt his lips curve into a smile against her shoulder. "Nope. No clue."

She knew she should tell him. She was certain he knew how she felt. That didn't mean he didn't still want to hear it aloud. But she had never said it aloud. Love confessions were not something she prided herself on. In fact, quite the opposite. The last time she said the words aloud were to her own mother, which was now many, many years ago.

She took a deep breath. This wasn't about her though. Artemis was a person already starved of love and thanks to her passiveness, was allowed to involve himself in a damaging affair. She had to say it. "I, uh… I feel the same towards you… you know…" Ah, fuck it. "I mean… I love you too." All the rest of her breath came out in a noisy rush.

He leaned over her and kissed the tip of her ear. "Thank you," he whispered quietly into her ear.

"Mm hmm," Holly hummed. Her heart skipped a beat.

He held her for an immeasurable moment in private silence. When his arms went slack and his breathing became quiet and even, she thought he might have fallen asleep. She sighed as she rolled onto her back, still snug in his arms. She looked down at her body. She was filthy. She was covered in saliva, sweat, and semen. "I need another shower."

"Give me ten minutes and I'll come help you." Artemis said, sounding sleepy.

She blinked, surprised he was actually still conscious. She smiled as she turned in his arms to face him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. "Sure. No rush."

Ten minutes came and went and Holly peeled one sleepy eye half open only to find Artemis already out cold. No matter. She was too tired herself now. She reached for the blankets bunched up behind him and covered their nude bodies. As she felt sleep coming to claim her consciousness, she recalled the events of the evening and dreamed happily of the possibilities the near future now held for them both.

I hope you enjoyed this. Please, feel free to review. I will do my best to reply back ASAP. Thank you for your time.


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